No San Francisco Giants player has worn uniform number 25 since Barry Bonds retired in 2007. After Saturday night, officially, no one ever will again. The Giants are honoring the all-time home run leader with a ceremony before their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at AT&T Park.
Bonds hit 762 home runs in his 22-year career, including 586 in his 15 years with San Francisco. He won five of his record seven National League MVP awards while with the Giants, including four in a row from 2001-2004. Bonds played his first seven seasons with the Pirates, winning two MVP awards, after getting selected out of Arizona State by Pittsburgh sixth overall in 1986 draft.
Barry’s father Bobby Bonds played seven of his 14 major league seasons with the Giants, and was the team’s hitting coach in from 1993-1996, Barry’s first four years in San Francisco.
“Barry grew up with the Giants and followed in the footsteps of his godfather Willie Mays and another Giant legend who also wore number 25 — his late father, Bobby,” Giants president Larry Baer said in February. “By officially retiring number 25, we will not only pay tribute to Barry as the greatest player of his generation, but also honor the legacy of two of the greatest players to ever wear a Giants uniform.”
Though he last played in 2007, the now 53-year-old Bonds still has an aura about him. Just ask Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams, who started on Saturday night.
I’m really excited to watch Barry Bonds get his number retired by the Giants on Saturday. I’m also slightly terrified that he will sign a one-day contract and be in the lineup.
— Trevor Williams (@MeLlamoTrevor) August 10, 2018
Bonds is the 12th different Giants player to have their number retired, though two of the honorees — pitcher Christy Mathewson and manager John McGraw — predated uniform numbers so they are honored by name only. The other 11 members besides Bonds — Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Bill Terry, Mel Ott, Carl Hubbell, Monte Irvin, McGraw, and Mathewson — are all in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bonds received 56.4 percent of votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America on the 2018, his sixth year on the ballot. Bonds has four more years on the ballot to reach the 75 percent required for induction to Cooperstown. His support has increased steadily, from 36.8 percent in 2015 to 44.3 percent in 2016 to 53.8 percent in 2017 before this year’s high of 56.4 percent.
Saturday is just part of Bonds weekend in San Francisco, with fans at AT&T Park on Friday receiving a Bonds statuette and on Saturday will get a No. 25 cap.
The retirement ceremony will be televised locally on NBC Sports Bay Area, and though there is no national coverage it is very likely that MLB Network will show at least part of the ceremony, and possibly live. Any more information has been rather difficult to attain.
Hello, Giants. What time is the news conference for Barry Bonds this weekend? Oh. There's no news conference? OK. When is his media availability? Oh. There's no media availability? OK. #awkward
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) August 10, 2018
Bonds retirement ceremony info
Time: 5 p.m. ET (game starts at 9:05 p.m.)
TV: NBC Sports Bay Area
Streaming: NBC Sports Bay Area